Easiest is to mix 1 tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder with 1 tbsp. sugar. Add a bit of water and stir to dissolve. Heat a cup of milk and stir in the dissolved cocoa mixture. Let everything get as warm as you like. Whipped cream, marshmallows, kahlua - add whatever you want. There are fancier and more complicated hot chocolate recipes out there - ones that use expensive chocolate and whatnot - but this one does the trick for me.

Cocoa, sugar, and milk are the basic ingredients. Mixing the cocoa with cold water first can help dissolve it. Mixes add emulsifiers that make dissolving the cocoa easier.

But that basic recipe can taste thin. Using cream adds body, as does chocolate (since the cocoa butter part of chocolate is a fat). Another way to add 'body' is a thickener, such as a corn starch slurry. Use enough of that and you get chocolate pudding, but a small amount gives a drink that tastes thick and rich without all the fat.

Obviously there are other ways of enhancing the flavor to your taste - pinch of salt, a liqueur, something peppery, etc.

Good quality Dutched (blends better than natural) cocoa, granulated or light brown sugar and a pinch of salt, mix together in a big mug, 12-14 oz. I use about 1 heaping tablespoon cocoa to 2 sort of heaping tablespoons sugar per cup of milk. I mostly use whole milk, or a combo of milk and cream. 2%, 1% or skim milk just doesn't work for hot chocolate; you can, but the beverage end result should be rich, creamy, warming and soul satisfying.

Add a bit of hot milk, stirring well to make a paste; this is the only chance you'll have to wet the cocoa powder without having to do excessive stirring and not creating lumps. Add the rest of the hot milk, a pinch of cayenne if desired, stir well or whisk until foamy. I like my chocolate rather rich with cocoa, not too sweet, but you'll figure out what works for you, more or less cocoa or sugar.

You can use milk, white, semi- or bittersweet chocolate as well, or a combination; just melt the chopped chocolate in the milk. Whisk well. Top with marshmallows, a dollop of whipped cream and more grated chocolate or Marshmallow Fluff, like my mom did.

Those are the basics; there are many flavoring alternatives, vanilla extract, a little cinnamon added to the cocoa paste, a grating of nutmeg on top, a pinch of cloves with cinnamon, replace a quarter of the milk with brewed coffee, use a mix of heavy cream and milk, use white chocolate instead of other chocolates, a mix of sweet spices, add a pinch of ground cardamon, or just a hint of peppermint extract. Garnish with a peppermint, cinnamon or pretzel stick or a few coffee beans. Add a strip of orange peel. Sprinkle on more cocoa. Add some liquor, Kahlua, Grand Marnier, brandy, Irish Cream.

There's tons of room for experimenting, beyond all of this. You can mix up the cocoa and sugar in larger quantities ahead of time, and keep it in the cupboard.